Alcohol treatment for at-risk elderly adults
Many individuals continue to drink excessively in adulthood and into late adulthood. Excessive drinking alone is a significant problem among elderly adults. Moreover, this age group often faces additional risks from alcohol consumption because of comorbidities (such as gout or hepatitis) and/or use of certain medications (such as sedatives or antidepressants). Thus, the impact of […]
How does one develop a willingness to change in alcohol treatment?
Previous research shows that different individuals have different motivations for seeking drug and alcohol treatment. In one study, for example, “weighing the pros and cons of drinking and drug use” and “warnings from spouse” were the most frequently cited reasons for seeking treatment. A great deal of attention has been devoted to the stages of […]
Does watching MTV increase likelihood of alcohol treatment for adolescents?
Music television is popular among teens in Belgium as well as adolescents in the U.S. A great deal of recent research has examined how the portrayal of alcohol use on television impacts adolescent alcohol use. Previous research shows that adolescent alcohol use is associated with higher rates of television viewing in general. Music television often […]
Motivational interviewing in alcohol treatment for underage college drinkers
Motivational interviewing is a method of alcohol treatment which has the goal of establishing intrinsic motivation to change within the client through examining discrepancies between goals and behavior, and ambivalence about these discrepancies. For example, an individual may know that he or she has drinking problems but may tend to ignore the extent to which […]
Use of Alcohol for Pain Management
The use of alcohol for pain management can easily become problematic and addictive, resulting in the need for alcohol treatment. Riley and King examined the use of alcohol for pain management among adults with tooth pain, jaw joint or face pain, and arthritis in a South Florida community (2009). The researchers examined race, sex, and […]
Alcohol treatment for rural female DUI offenders
Overall rates of driving under the influence (DUI) arrests have steadily decreased over the past two decades, but this decrease has not occurred uniformly for all groups of DUI offenders. The proportion of female DUI offenders, for instance, has significantly increased. Further, DUI arrest rates remain higher in rural areas. See also: Why You Should […]
Kudzu vine extract for alcohol treatment
Daidzin, a compound found in the kudzu vine, interferes with the metabolization of alcohol and produces effects similar to those of the anti-drinking drug Antabuse. Dr. Ting-Kai Li of Duke University and Dr. Ivan Diamond of the University of California in San Francisco believe that they have discovered a synthetic version of daidzin that reduces […]
Alcohol treatment and comorbid social anxiety disorder treatment
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD) tend to co-occur at high rates. The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (Grant et al., 2005) found that 48 percent of participants with a lifetime diagnosis of SAD also met criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of AUD. In instances of alcohol use and […]
Hospital-based and health-based interventions for alcohol treatment
Individualized interventions for alcohol treatment plans enable people in alcohol recovery to focus on their physical health as it relates to their alcohol consumption. Individuals who practice unhealthy drinking habits often end up as patients in hospitals – for drinking-related accidents and health problems, among other reasons. This time in the hospital may serve as […]
Impact of marijuana use on alcohol treatment for young adults?
Individualized treatment plans can help young adults see how marijuana use impacts the outcome of their alcohol treatment. Rates of alcohol and marijuana use are highest among young adults, and high rates of marijuana and alcohol use are seen in young adult patients admitted to emergency departments. Hospital admission provides an opportunity for alcohol treatment […]